U.S. public vehicle records

Ford LTD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

78 owner complaints analyzed

35 distinct recall campaigns

60,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1968 to 2000 model years. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 78 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	11	14.1%
Electrical and battery issues	7	9.0%
Braking behavior	6	7.7%
Transmission and shifting	4	5.1%
Steering behavior	4	5.1%
Fuel system concerns	1	1.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System:Ignition

Electrical System:Ignition:Module

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	13
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	10
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	6
Vehicle Speed Control	5
Electrical System:Ignition	4
Electrical System:Ignition:Module	4
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	3
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	3

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Electrical System:Ignition: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 4; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 3; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 75 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2005

2007

2010

2019

1995: 14; 1996: 24; 1997: 12; 1998: 6; 1999: 4; 2000: 8; 2001: 5; 2005: 1; 2007: 1; 2010: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 558173 · 2000-11-29 (November 29, 2000)

CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXHIBITED STALLING CONDITION AND HAD IT REPAIRED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM WAS DIRECTLY RELATED THE THE TFI MODULE BEING RECALLED IN CALIFORNIA, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 558173 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 523712 · 1997-10-09 (October 9, 1997)

VEHICLE STALLS, REPLACE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGN MODULE, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 523712 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 808636 · 1997-02-05 (February 5, 1997)

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 808636 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 808869 · 1997-02-13 (February 13, 1997)

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD TO CAUGHT FIRE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 808869 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10314430 · 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)

JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISMS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT CAREFULLY AS PART OF THE "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" ISSUE - IN 1973 WE WERE DRIVING A 1970 FORD LTD THRU' TENN. ON A HOT AUGUST DAY WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STUCK IN FULL ACCELERATION MODE. A FEW DAYS LATER IT DID IT AGAIN DRIVING ACROSS ILLINOIS. IN EACH CASE THE CAR COULD ONLY BE STOPPED BY STOMPING ON THE BRAKES HARD AND THEN TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. THE DEALERS AT THE TIME SAID IT WASN'T POSSIBLE AND WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR INJUR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10314430 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 481870 · 1995-02-25 (February 25, 1995)

INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, ALSO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE APPLIED TO BRAKES DURING SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED BRAKES TO BURN OUT. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481870 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 830490 · 1998-02-18 (February 18, 1998)

MOTOR STARTS SHAKING EXCESSIVELY DUE TO TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE FAILURE. *AK..

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 830490 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 828441 · 1998-10-01 (October 1, 1998)

TRANSMISSION LINKAGE GROMMET DETERIORATED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO TRANSMISSION THIRD AND OVERDRIVE GEARS, WHICH LEAVES NO HIGH SPEED SHIFTING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 828441 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 979422 · 1996-02-20 (February 20, 1996)

CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN STEERING COLUMN WHILE PARKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979422 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 480022 · 1995-01-25 (January 25, 1995)

FUEL PUMP REPLACED MANY TIMES OVER LAST TWO YEARS DUE TO FAILURES. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480022 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1995

1996

2000

1984: 2; 1985: 2; 1986: 0; 1987: 0; 1988: 0; 1989: 0; 1990: 0; 1991: 0; 1992: 0; 1993: 0; 1995: 0; 1996: 0; 2000: 0

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Ford LTD model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1968	0	1	Not available
1970	1	0	Not available
1972	0	2	Not available
1973	0	5	+3
1974	2	5	0
1975	0	3	-2
1977	0	1	Not available
1978	0	3	+2
1979	2	8	+5
1980	0	1	-7
1981	0	4	+3
1982	0	2	-2
1983	5	1	-1
1984	14	2	+1
1985	17	2	0
1986	9	0	-2
1987	1	0	0
1988	6	0	0
1989	8	0	0
1990	2	0	0
1991	3	0	0
1992	2	0	0
1993	1	0	0
1995	2	0	Not available
1996	1	0	0
2000	2	0	Not available

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

78 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

3.8%Usable mileage3 / 78 records

76.9%Valid incident date60 / 78 records

100.0%Valid filing date78 / 78 records

76.9%Ordered incident and filing dates60 / 78 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1995	1996	2000
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	111.1% ODI 505094 SHORT IN IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING IT TO COME APART (OTHER VEHICLE FROM 983187). *AK Look up ODI 505094 at NHTSA ↗	1100.0% ODI 983692 DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SUDDENLY SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH, DRIVER AND FRIEND BOTH EXITED VEHICLE, THEN VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK Look up ODI 983692 at NHTSA ↗	350.0% ODI 800372 VEHICLE PARKED, OWNER HEARD HORN, WENT TO CHECK, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, THEN NOTICE FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, PUT OUT FLAMES, COULD NOT LIFT HOOD.*AK Look up ODI 800372 at NHTSA ↗	225.0% ODI 983235 ELECTRICAL SHORT, IGNITION SWITHCH FAILURE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN OPEN DOOR SAW SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK Look up ODI 983235 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	222.2% ODI 554259 POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS Look up ODI 554259 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 980150 WHEN THE WEATHER IS REALLY BAD THE CAR WILL RUN FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT THE CAR WILL DIE, ONLY HAPPENS IN BAD WEATHER. *AK Look up ODI 980150 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 842693 VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT START AND WILL LOOSE POWER WHEN DRIVING, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL COMPLETELY CUT OFF, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK Look up ODI 842693 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 468989 TRANSMISSION FAILED PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL (93V-031). *AK Look up ODI 468989 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 982827 WHILE PARKED THE AUTO JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT THREE OTHER CARS, TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *AK Look up ODI 982827 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 487194 ERRATIC SHIFTING, SHUDDERING IN/OUT OF OVERDRIVE, ALSO NOISY. *DSH Look up ODI 487194 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Vehicle Speed Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition	111.1% ODI 522174 IGNITION MODULE FAILED AND REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. Look up ODI 522174 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition:Module	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 807669 UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, SAW SMOKE WHILE DRIVING , VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *AK Look up ODI 807669 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 985683 WHILE DRIVING CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *AK Look up ODI 985683 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	111.1% ODI 965848 SEAT BELT FAILURE, DIFFICULTY LATCHING THE SEAT BELT LATCH. TT Look up ODI 965848 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	2100.0% ODI 810999 UPON INSTALLING CHILD SAFETY SEAT, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE PULLED OUT OF CHASSIS SUPPORT. UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED THAT SUPPORT MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE, NO NUT EXISTS AS PART OF MECHANISM TO SECURE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. REPORTED PROBLEM TO FORD, STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRENTY. *AK Look up ODI 810999 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Too few reports for a range	60,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10317321 · 60,000 mi MY 1974 FORD LTD JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE GEAR. *TR Look up ODI 10317321 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1996: 0 complaints · 2000: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1996	0	0	0
2000	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1996	1	0	0
2000	2	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Vehicle Speed Control	Electrical System:Ignition	Electrical System:Ignition:Module	Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Vehicle Speed Control	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition:Module	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

3 patterns with matching reports.

Stalling or loss of power

11 mentions · 14.1% of complaints

Median mileage: 50,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 558173

Look up ODI 558173 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 523712

VEHICLE STALLS, REPLACE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGN MODULE, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

Look up ODI 523712 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 556357

IGNITION MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. NLM

Look up ODI 556357 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Brake response concerns

2 mentions · 2.6% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 818385

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE STREET THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK, AND THE ENGINE ROARED UP. APPLIED FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND PULLED OVER AND CALLED TOWING COMPANY. *AK

Look up ODI 818385 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 834727

WHILE DRIVING STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE WHEEL TO MOVE FREELY. THEN A METAL PIECE FROM STEERING COLUMN BROKE OFF BETWEEN DRIVER'S FOOT AND BRAKE PEDAL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMER HAD A DIFFCULTY TO BRAKE AND ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Look up ODI 834727 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Oil consumption or dilution

1 mentions · 1.3% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 481975

BURNING OIL SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE, ALSO OIL LEAKING/SMOKE EMITTING FROM TAILPIPE. *SKD

Look up ODI 481975 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(oil consumption|burn\w* oil|consum\w* oil|oil dilution|gas(?:oline)? in (?:the )?oil)\b